July 23, 2011

Sometimes life presents us with difficult decisions. These decisions can be difficult for many reasons. Maybe it is because we feel we never have enough information and those people supplying the information want to make sure you can't truly compare like with like and make the best choice. Sometimes it is the way the options are presented to us, a group of outcomes that are fitted together but for the wrong reasons. Sometimes it is just a bad choice, and we do what we have to do. We can rely on instinct and gut feelings or we can ignore them. I am not sure which is the best answer. So, in a related and totally unrelated manner and with socks to be shared on the blog, I return now to a previously abandoned series on dating and socks.

What Not to Do: A look at Dating in your 30's and Beyond*

There is only one chance to make a first impression, try not to forget your wallet. Or if you do, this is probably not the time to suggest continuing the date with dinner.

It was the predate -- we had already planned the first date and this was a casual meet up the day before. We would go skating at the rink near my house. As a marginal skater, I might have been going out on a limb, he plays goalie for an adult team, he likely knows what he is doing. He came into the anti room from the rink which meant he had likely used the players entrance, bypassing the front desk. I didn't think much of it at the time but maybe I should have seen it as the first red flag... We spent about an hour skating when I was ready to be done. He mentioned that it might be nice to grab something to eat. It is known that I am a bit of a restaurant snob but it was early afternoon and I was wearing clothes more appropriate for skating then one of my usual restaurants and so I suggested that we head up the hill to the mecca of chain restaurants that exists above my house. We decided on TGIFridays, not an expensive restaurant by any means. We had a light meal and then it came time to pay -- he starts pulling out his phone and confesses he has forgotten his wallet. Explaining that he had had cash in his pocket for the entrance fee (really? I am pretty sure you never walked by the front desk). I happily paid for dinner and he said he would make it up to me on our date the next day. Fair enough...hear about this ordeal on the next "What Not to Do" post.

Needles: Knit Picks Steel -- if I had to guess I would say 2.75 mm but really I have forgotten

Started: August 14, 2009

Finished: June 31, 2011

Notes: These were started just before a trip to Irish Fest which didn't turn out quite the way I had hoped. Somehow that annoyance was transferred to the socks and after coming home they were carried around for quite a while and never really worked on. The yarn became tangled and crusty and they sat out of the way with little more than a two inches of toe to finish them. So, in consideration of this years goal, I pulled them out of the corner in which they were hiding and finished them at this year's NEA RA. Two years in the making and I am glad to add them to my sock stash.

*should you see yourself in any of the stories and you aren't the one who told me the story, JUST STOP DOING WHATEVER IT IS.

July 12, 2011

A former boyfriend once mentioned Gary Chapman's book The Five Languages of Love. While I never read the book I did do a little web research and think that his categories of how people express themselves and expect others to act actually hold some merit. The 5 categories are Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. He had brought it up to explain his desire to do something or other helpful for me (not being one who accepts help well -- I am working on it).

I bring it up because I am not a very good gift giver. It is definitely not one of my superpowers and I am sure I have left friends and lovers disappointed but occasionally I will try especially when I know someone is giving me a gift and the gesture needs reciprocation. But remember with this "love language" it is all about the thought behind the gift, so just getting anything won't do. For Christmas, after much agonizing on what to get my beau, I finally figured out the perfect gift. He enjoys wine as much as I do and speaks wistfully of "retiring" to run a winery in Virginia. So, I got him a wine making experience at the now defunct Carafe Wines. This is pretty much the cake mix version of wine making but a fun experience nonetheless. We ended up with 30 bottles of wine that will make a debut here once they recover from bottle shock. A quick review of my camera card would seem that something has happened to the few pictures that I managed to take on the day of bottling as I was busy corking, foiling and labeling the bottles in I Love Lucy fashion. (That might explain the crooked labels.) Here is the mixing of the wine with the winemaker and beau adding yeast and wood chips to the juice.

We headed out after bottling to find something a little less young to drink and headed up to Le Tastevin in the former Old Town tasting room for Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery. On our way there, we passed the former site of Banana Tree, an import housewares shop. The windows were covered with craft paper but the door was open and a poster announced the arrival of Olio Tasting Room. The owner, Penny Willimann, seeing us poking around, invited us in and gave us samples (shown left) of Garlic Roasted Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Mango Balsamic Vinegar. I am excited to share that Olio Tasting Room will be having their grand opening open house on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Stop by and check out the oils and vinegars or pick up some Bombolini pasta from a family owned business in Richmond. It is sure to be worth the visit.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

In the meantime, I used my samples to whip up a refreshing summer salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese.

2 cups chopped cucumber

2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes, halved

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 tsp roasted garlic EVOO

1 1/2 tsp mango balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar (unflavored) '

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and enjoy as a side dish or even an afternoon snack.